Manufacture of shoe uppers



2?, 192%. 1,495,662 M. LEROY, JR

MANUFACTURE OF SHOE UPPERS Filed June 13, 1922 ZZZ/van 0r:

MaZMTZ GZ luff 7 /f//arn y Patented May 27, 1924.

MAURICE LEROTY, an, or 'vovns, FRANCE.

.MANUZEACTUBE 0F SHOE UPPERS.

Application filed June 13, 1-922. Serial No. 568,073.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .MAURICE LEROY, Jr., a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at VoveaFrance, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Manufacture of Shoe Uppers, of which the following is as ecificatlon.

he present invention relates to the mechanical manufacture and shapingof leather uppers for ,goloshes or similar foot Wear, and has for itsprimary "object to provide certain improvements whereby such uppers bemanufactured and shaped withoutit bein necessary to .leave the upper onthe shaping; ast after it has been mechanically brought into its propershape.

According to the :rnven tion, the blank, which has previously been cutto shape and spread :out flat, is slightly moistened; this moisten-ingjmay be'effected by means of a jet of steam or by allowing the leather toremain ina damp place.

' The leather, when thus moistened but not wetted, is applied againstthe upper surface of a last, the shape -of which is appropriate to theshaped upper to be made, and the said leather is locked along its entiremargin exicept at the neck by a movable frame fitting the lowercon-tourof th'e'last, the said frame bei-ng provided for that purposewith pins which serve as centering points for the positi'on-ing of theleather and as means for tightening the leather by forcing thesaid pins:iintothe holes of a movable box contain ing a hollow matrix.

The leather, when spread and locked on the last is compressed by thematrix which is shaped interiorly to conform to the shape or the upperto be made, the said matrix sliding in the movable box, which latter is1 vertically fixed on an ordinary press.

drawing anddescribed in the fol- The compression-of the leather causesits grain to disappear and thus does away with the brdiwnary operation:of smoothing by hand by means-of a piece of wood or glass.

- The matrix "may beengraved in order to trace out by'lneans ofcompression the desired patterns on the upper du-riirg'the op-'er'ationof shaping.

The invention is illustrated in the accoml-owing specification, and 51Shereinafter spe- In the drawinglz I JEii-gure 1 represents in sideelevation the last on which the leather cut out. flat is applied inorder to be transformed into a shaped upper. I Figure 2 is a top planView of the last.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the frame in which the lower part of the lastis fitted.

TENT FFIC.

Figure 4 is a section of the frame on line Figure 5 is aside elevationof the box fixed to the press/enclosing the shaping matrix.

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the arrangement of the last, theframe and the movable box on the press, the saidparts being in theposition of rest.

Figures 7 and 8 are longitudinal sections on the line y-y of Fig. 9showing the same parts during the manufacture of the shaped uppers, Fig.7 representing the first phase of pressure and Fig. 8 the second andlast phase -of pressure.

Figure 9 is a transverse section on the line ez of Fig. 7 showing theparts of the appliance during the first phase of the pressure. c

The appliance comprises a metal last 1 mounted on a screw-threaded rod 2which allows of fixing it "on the framework 3 by means of a nut 4 (Fig.6). This last is fitted at its base inacorrespondingly shaped openingformed in a movable frame 5. This frame is supported-by four columns 6fixed at their lower ends on a plate 7v which slides freely on thescrew-threaded rod 2.; this plate abuts'against a shoulder P on the rod2 under the action of a spiral spring 8 encircling the narrower part ofthe .rod below the plate 7, the tension of the spring being regulated bya nut 9 screwed to the end of the rod 2.-

The movable frame 5 is provided on its I upper face with. four studs 10and two transverse packing strips 11, the part played by which will beexplained below.

The appliance is completed by a metal box 12 mounted on the movable partof an ordinary press :so as. to appear above the last 1 and the frame 5surrounding it. The

lower edge face forming the peripheral wall part of the last 1 andmovable upwardly within said box; this movement taking place when thematrix comes into, contact with the leather spread 011 the last 1. Thematrix 14 may be plain or may be engraved to print patterns or designson the upper.

The gas burner 15 arranged outslde and around the box 12 allows ofheating the box and the matrix let to a suitable temperature.

The appliance operates as follows The parts being in the position ofrest (Fig. 6), the last 1 is fixed on the framework 3 by the nut 1; theframe 5 whlch surrounds it, thrust upwardly by the spring 8 acting onthe plate 7, is lifted and brought into its upper position. The box 12fixed to the press (not shown) is lifted so as to release the uppersurface of the last 1.

The leather 16, previously cut out fiat and moistened. as has beenpreviously said, is placed on the last 1, making use of the studs 10 ascentering points. In the first phase of the pressure (Figs. 7 and 9) thepress, having been set in operation, lowers the box 12 on to the last 1and the peripheral wall of the box comes to rest on the packing strips11 of the frame. These packing strips, by leaving a small space betweenthe box 12 and the frame 5, prevent the crushing of the leather betweenthese parts; in this lowering of the box 12 the studs 10 pass into theholes 13 of the said box 12 and the leather is thus kept tight withoutbeing crushed between the box 12 and the frame 5. This frame, supportedby the four columns 6 and maintained by the spring 8, occupies its upperposition around the last 1.

During the second phase of the compression (Fig. 8), the box 12continues its downward course and exerts a pressure on the frame 5 whichoffers some resistance owing to the reaction of the spring 8 pressingthe plate 7 and the four columns supporting the frame; the descent ofthe box 12 counteracting the action of the spring, the frame 5 slidesdownward against the periphery of the last 1 and comes to rest on theframework 3.

During this descent the leather 16 spread on the last 1 is always lockedbetween the box 1.2 and the frame. The result is that the leather. actedon by these two parts, will be tightly pressed on the last in proportionas the two parts 12 and 5 descend.

.VV hen the box reaches the end of its lower stroke and the leather iscompletely spread on the last 1. the matrix 14 compresses the leather onthe last and completes the operation by smoothing the upper or tracingornaments or patterns thereon if this matrix is engraved.

The operation being completed, the press sacted on to bring the box backto its 1n1t1al upper position, the frame 5 likewise but not wet-ted willnot adhere to the last and can very easily be taken off.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus forthe manufacture of leather uppers for goloshes and similar foot wear,comprising a metal last provided in its centre on its lower face with athreaded rod intended for securing it to the framework of the press, aframe pierced in its centre with a hole shaped according to the outlineof the last, the said frame being fitted with four columns slidingfreely in the framework of the press and connected by a single platelocated underneath the said framework, the upper face of the said framebeing fiat along its two shorter marginal edges and depressed betweensaid flat edges along its longer marginal edges, a metal box closed atits upper part and provided with a rod connecting it to the press, theperipheral edge of the open part of the said box having the sameconfiguration as the upper 'face of the frame on which it may rest, amatrix located in the said metal box and free to shift therein frombelow upwards, the said matrix being hollowed according to theconfiguration of the upper part of the last which receives the leatherpiece to be shaped, and a gas burner arranged around the external wallof the metal box. I

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of leather uppers for goloshes andsimilar foot wear, comprising a metal last secured by a rod to theframework of the press, the said rod acting as a guide for a plate onwhich rests a spiral spring surrounding a reduced part of the said rod,a frame provided centrally with a hole allowing it to freely slidearound the outline of the last, the said frame being fitted with fourcolumns sliding freely through the framework of the press and connectedby a single plate sliding along the rod which secures the last to thesaid framework, the upper face of the frame having its two shortermarginal edges made fiat and provided each with transverse packingstrips parallel to the said edges and its two longer marginal edgesdepressed, the upper flat face of the frame being provided furthermorewith four pins, a metal box closed at the top and connected to the rodof the press, the peripheral edge of the open part of said box havingthe same configuration as the upper face of the frame, the said edgebeing pierced with holes for accommodating 5 the pins of the frame, amatrix located in the metal box and free to shift therein from belowupwards, the said matrix being hollowed according to the configurationof the upper part of the last on which the leather piece is applied, anda gas burner arranged around the external wall of the metal box in orderto heat the said box and the matrix contained therein.

3. Apparatus for the manufacture of shoe uppers, comprising a last; aspring-pressed frame slidably related to the last and having an openingwherein the lower portion of said last conformably fits; a movable casefitting over the last and adapted to clamp the marginal edges of theupper between its edge face and the upper face of said frame; and ahollow matrix movably disposed within said case and having its interiorshaped to conform to the shape of the upper portion of the last.

4. Apparatus for the manufacture of shoe uppers, comprising a metal lastadapted to support a moistened blank; a yieldingly mounted frameslidably related to the last I and having an opening wherein the lowerportion of said last conformably fits; a mov able metal case fittingover the last and adapted to clamp the marginal edges of the blankagainst the upper face of said frame; a hollow matrix movably disposedwithin said case and having its interior shaped to conform to the upperportion of the last; and a device positioned to heat said case and thematrix therein.

5. Apparatus for the manufacture of shoe uppers, comprising a last; aspring-pressed frame slidably related to the last and having. an openingwherein the lower portion of said last conformably fits; a movable casefitting over the last and adapted to clamp the marginal edges of theupper between its edge face and the upper face of said frame, the saidedge face of thecase having a plurality of vertically-extending socketsto receive upstanding centering pins on said frame face; and a hollowmatrix movably disposed within said case and having its interior shapedto conform to the shape of the upper portion of the last.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MAURICE LEROY FILS.

